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Wonderland
Te Motu Kairangi Miramar Peninsula, Wellington 1912.
Doctor Matti Loverock spends her days and nights bringing babies into the world, which means her daughters—seven-year-old triplets Ada, Oona and Hanna—have grown up at Wonderland, the once-thriving amusement park owned by their father, Charlie. Then a grieving woman arrives to stay from the other side of the world, in pain and incognito, fleeing scandal. She ignites the triplets’ curiosity and brings work for Matti, diverting them all from what is really happening at Wonderland. In a bold reimagining, Marie Curie—famous for her work on radioactivity—comes to Aotearoa and discovers both solace and wonder.
Doctor Matti Loverock spends her days and nights bringing babies into the world, which means her daughters—seven-year-old triplets Ada, Oona and Hanna—have grown up at Wonderland, the once-thriving amusement park owned by their father, Charlie. Then a grieving woman arrives to stay from the other side of the world, in pain and incognito, fleeing scandal. She ignites the triplets’ curiosity and brings work for Matti, diverting them all from what is really happening at Wonderland. In a bold reimagining, Marie Curie—famous for her work on radioactivity—comes to Aotearoa and discovers both solace and wonder.
- GenresFiction
310 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2025
About the author
Tracy Farr
10 books31 followersTracy Farr is a novelist and short story writer who used to be a scientist. Originally from Australia, she’s lived in Aotearoa New Zealand for thirty years.
Tracy's debut novel The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt (Fremantle Press 2013) is about love, loss, electronic music and the sea. Her second novel, The Hope Fault (Fremantle Press 2017), is about family, anxiety and geology.
Her third and latest novel, Wonderland (The Cuba Press 2025), was awarded the 2024 NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize.
Tracy curates Bad Diaries Salon – a live literary series that features writers reading, to a theme, from their diaries and unpublished notebooks – and its sister project, Bad Diaries Podcast.
Tracy's debut novel The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt (Fremantle Press 2013) is about love, loss, electronic music and the sea. Her second novel, The Hope Fault (Fremantle Press 2017), is about family, anxiety and geology.
Her third and latest novel, Wonderland (The Cuba Press 2025), was awarded the 2024 NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize.
Tracy curates Bad Diaries Salon – a live literary series that features writers reading, to a theme, from their diaries and unpublished notebooks – and its sister project, Bad Diaries Podcast.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 20, 2025
Really wanted to like this more. Some nice writing and an interesting setting, but not much really happened.
November 23, 2025
Totally random premise - that Marie Curie comes to convalesce on the Miramar Peninsula in 1912 - but I was happily convinced and loved seeing the history of place I live in a novel.
November 14, 2025
I loved this book - I was inspired to read it after seeing Tracy Farr at the Women’s Bookshop Literatea event. It’s a gentle moving story based loosely around the actual theme park Winderland - but it’s actually much more than that - a subtle story of women and relationships and in particular the special bond sisters have.
February 27, 2026
4.5 stars!
February 5, 2026
A wonderful story set in the beaches of Wellington, of the bonds between three triplet sisters, closely intertwined and writing as one, as they grow older and experience love, joy, sadness and loss.
Pick it up for the tales of Wonderland in Miramar. Turn the pages for the alternate telling of a bold, women-led history, and finish up with a warm story well told.
Oh, and a horse named Ernest Rutherford.
Pick it up for the tales of Wonderland in Miramar. Turn the pages for the alternate telling of a bold, women-led history, and finish up with a warm story well told.
Oh, and a horse named Ernest Rutherford.
January 13, 2026
I loved this book. The writing style really appealed to me. The use of repetition, the labelling of characters used throughout e.g. mother-doctor-wife, with subtle changes and the different word patterns employed all added to the effect. Having said that, it was easy to read, different and a great mix of reality and fiction woven together. The different viewpoints of each chapter gave an interesting perspective on events and the changing worlds of the triplets was gentle and understated. Great read.
August 31, 2025
My favourite book so far this year.
Wonderland is set in Miramar, Wellington in 1912 and is told in three voices. Seven year old triplets Ada, Hanna and Oona, although individuals, speak as a single unit. Then there is Matti (mother/doctor/wife) who works evenings in obstetrics. Finally there is Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie who is ill and has come out to New Zealand to be being cared for by the family. The title is taken from the amusement park run by Charlie (father/husband) and held in fascination by the three girls.
This is a beautiful book about family, about the friendship of women, about loss and resilience. There is a magical quality to the story and the way it is told, a sense of wonder, but wonder that is totally grounded. The voices are real, and the story is both moving and hopeful. The writing is stunning.
Wonderland is set in Miramar, Wellington in 1912 and is told in three voices. Seven year old triplets Ada, Hanna and Oona, although individuals, speak as a single unit. Then there is Matti (mother/doctor/wife) who works evenings in obstetrics. Finally there is Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie who is ill and has come out to New Zealand to be being cared for by the family. The title is taken from the amusement park run by Charlie (father/husband) and held in fascination by the three girls.
This is a beautiful book about family, about the friendship of women, about loss and resilience. There is a magical quality to the story and the way it is told, a sense of wonder, but wonder that is totally grounded. The voices are real, and the story is both moving and hopeful. The writing is stunning.
March 9, 2026
I really enjoyed this book, everything from the scene setting, the characters and the writing style.
Such a unique concept to write about an unconventional family set in 1912 Wellington New Zealand.
The mother, a Dr and the main bread winner, the father so very much caught up in his own dreams and aspirations, to keep up his beloved circus. their relationship with their triplet daughters, who's voices are very much the main narrative of the book.
The book also told the story of the reality of living in that era, the hard times, it told of the relationship that the adults had with each other and their friends, how they got through every day life, strength, determination, grief and loss.
The writing very much at times was through the childrens eyes and the way the viewed their relationship with one another, their parents relationship, the relationship with their parents friends, their home and the world around them, it was ao beautifully written. Same could be said about the adult characters, you really could sense the individual persons thoughts and feelings. The writting was powerful enough, that i could really imagine the home, the way the house moved in the weather, the smells, i felt quite immersed in it.
The introduction of Madam Currie, noble winning scientist, coming to stay with this family, such a left field concept, which worked so well, strangely enough. I believe it was because of how she was written as a visitor, not as the main character. she has her own character development in the story which was lovely to read.
For me, this book was quite magical in every sense of the word.
Such a unique concept to write about an unconventional family set in 1912 Wellington New Zealand.
The mother, a Dr and the main bread winner, the father so very much caught up in his own dreams and aspirations, to keep up his beloved circus. their relationship with their triplet daughters, who's voices are very much the main narrative of the book.
The book also told the story of the reality of living in that era, the hard times, it told of the relationship that the adults had with each other and their friends, how they got through every day life, strength, determination, grief and loss.
The writing very much at times was through the childrens eyes and the way the viewed their relationship with one another, their parents relationship, the relationship with their parents friends, their home and the world around them, it was ao beautifully written. Same could be said about the adult characters, you really could sense the individual persons thoughts and feelings. The writting was powerful enough, that i could really imagine the home, the way the house moved in the weather, the smells, i felt quite immersed in it.
The introduction of Madam Currie, noble winning scientist, coming to stay with this family, such a left field concept, which worked so well, strangely enough. I believe it was because of how she was written as a visitor, not as the main character. she has her own character development in the story which was lovely to read.
For me, this book was quite magical in every sense of the word.
October 11, 2025
Tracy Farr’s alternative historical fiction, Wonderland, is a wonderful read. The setting is real – Wonderland was an amusement park in Miramar that ran from 1907 to 1912 – but the main characters and events are fictional.
The amusement park is the backdrop to the lives of the Loverock family. Charlie is the owner and his wife Matti, a doctor in obstetrics, is promoting the new technology of incubators for newborn babies. Handy when they have triplets of their own to exhibit at Wonderland.
By 1912 the triplets are seven, Wonderland is in financial strife and a mysterious French woman is sent to Matti (by Sir Ernest Rutherford) to recuperate from illness and scandal. It’s no spoiler to say the woman is Marie Curie (of radium fame) who, upended like Alice in Wonderland, feels everything is topsy-turvy on the other side of the world.
The story is told by Matti, The Lady and the enchanting child’s eye view of the triplets – ‘ratbags’ their exuberant and theatrical father calls them. Wonderland has a fresh and imaginative approach, grounded in the Wellington setting of Miramar. Local history buffs will recognise some minor characters and incidents drawn from the historical record that enhance the story.
The amusement park is the backdrop to the lives of the Loverock family. Charlie is the owner and his wife Matti, a doctor in obstetrics, is promoting the new technology of incubators for newborn babies. Handy when they have triplets of their own to exhibit at Wonderland.
By 1912 the triplets are seven, Wonderland is in financial strife and a mysterious French woman is sent to Matti (by Sir Ernest Rutherford) to recuperate from illness and scandal. It’s no spoiler to say the woman is Marie Curie (of radium fame) who, upended like Alice in Wonderland, feels everything is topsy-turvy on the other side of the world.
The story is told by Matti, The Lady and the enchanting child’s eye view of the triplets – ‘ratbags’ their exuberant and theatrical father calls them. Wonderland has a fresh and imaginative approach, grounded in the Wellington setting of Miramar. Local history buffs will recognise some minor characters and incidents drawn from the historical record that enhance the story.
February 22, 2026
Longlisted for the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Awards, Wonderland is Tracy Farr’s third novel. It won the 2024 NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize: a prize set up by the family of novelist, playwright and poet Laura Solomon in her memory. Open to NZ citizens and permanent residents, the prize calls for new writing with a ‘unique and original vision‘. The winner receives a cash award of $2000 (as an advance) and a publishing contract with The Cuba Press. Runners-up receive $1000 and it appears that some of them achieve publication too. (See below for previous winners.)
Wonderlands is such a refreshing book, and it does indeed have a unique and original vision. It feels refreshing because there is nothing strident or agenda-driven about it. There are no dysfunctional characters, they are all just human. It is a family story of love, kindness, generosity and the strength of what the term female friendship fails to convey… we used to call it The Sisterhood because it implied being at one with women around the world, not just the ones you like. And — miraculously —the novel achieves all this without being sentimental.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/02/22/w...
Wonderlands is such a refreshing book, and it does indeed have a unique and original vision. It feels refreshing because there is nothing strident or agenda-driven about it. There are no dysfunctional characters, they are all just human. It is a family story of love, kindness, generosity and the strength of what the term female friendship fails to convey… we used to call it The Sisterhood because it implied being at one with women around the world, not just the ones you like. And — miraculously —the novel achieves all this without being sentimental.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/02/22/w...
January 25, 2026
This book was not something I would normally go for but came very highly recommended by many publications.
The writing is very accomplished, with distinct narrative voices for each of the three perspectives included. The triplets chapters in particular were immersively written.
There is a certain lyrical rhythm to many of the paragraphs, even those not written as poetry. It made the book a gently undulating read.
I found the plot slow and did not really get deeply into the story but reading the book was a pleasant experience due to the authors skill.
I did find the book a little long for my liking.
The writing is very accomplished, with distinct narrative voices for each of the three perspectives included. The triplets chapters in particular were immersively written.
There is a certain lyrical rhythm to many of the paragraphs, even those not written as poetry. It made the book a gently undulating read.
I found the plot slow and did not really get deeply into the story but reading the book was a pleasant experience due to the authors skill.
I did find the book a little long for my liking.
May 11, 2026
This flight of fancy was a treat. Set in 1912 on the Miramar peninsula near Wellington New Zealand it tells the story of a family with identical triplets. The imagined visit of Marie Curie (not a spoiler, as this is established early on) provides added interest and scientific detail. The characters are wonderful and the dialogue (especially of the triplets) is witty and authentic. The chapters are short and sometimes poetic and tell the story from many points of view.
March 3, 2026
absolutely delightful read ! such an open ended/full of possibilities type story line - I just had to know where this was going.
filled with a lot of beautiful gems to pull on your heart strings and bring up gorgeous memories of being a young girl again.
wouldn’t have read this without it being our feb book club read - so grateful I did !
filled with a lot of beautiful gems to pull on your heart strings and bring up gorgeous memories of being a young girl again.
wouldn’t have read this without it being our feb book club read - so grateful I did !
July 28, 2025
Beautiful writing, unique story, great characters. I loved that it brought Wellington in 1912 to life.
November 7, 2025
More of a 4.5 star read. A beautifully original novel set in Wellington. Loved it!
March 12, 2026
Fascinating slice of history well written
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews